Bernard Gwertzman

Are U.S.-Turkey Relations Fraying?

Middle East Foreign Policy

The U.S. refusal to strike militarily against Syrian government forces has exacerbated already strained relations between the United States and Turkey, says CFR's Steven Cook. He cites Prime Minister Erdoğan's reluctance to patch up ties with Israel and his crackdown on protestors earlier this year in Istanbul and Ankara as contributing factors to the cooling ties between the two countries in recent months. And despite President Barack Obama's efforts to improve U.S. standing with Turkey since taking office in 2009, Cook says "there have been significant tests of the relationship," which he does not see abating in coming months.
Recently, many have started to question the alliance between Turkey and the United States. Is Turkey lost as an ally of the United States?

http://www.defenseone.com/voices/bernard-gwertzman/7790/